Today the finalists for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award were announced (links to my (few) reviews in parenthesis):
- Rocks in the Belly, by Jon Bauer
- The Matter with Morris, by David Bergen (click here for my review)
- A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan (click here for my review)
- The Memory of Love, by Aminatta Forna
- Even the Dogs, by Jon McGregor
- Matterhorn, by Karl Marlantes
- Landed, by Tim Pears
- Limassol, by Yishai Sarid, tr. from the Hebrew by Barbara Harshav
- The Eternal Son, by Cristovão Tezza, tr. from the Portuguese by Alison Entrekin
- Lean on Pete, by Willy Vlautin
Hi Trevor, I’ve linked to these reviews of yours on my blog post about this shortlist because I (a-hem) one I’d read and not reviewed for reasons you can guess *chuckle* and the other I’d never heard of.
We’re very chuffed here in Oz about the inclusion of Jon Bauer’s book (which was longlisted for the Miles Franklin) and Cristovão Tezza’s book both published by local indie publisher Scribe. Nice to see them including books in translation too…
Great news about John Bauer’s book, Lisa and, especially, for the good fortune of the local press!
Yes, it is nice to see them including books in translation again this year. They often do, so last year was a strange one indeed.
I’ve read the Forma and McGregor in addition to the two you have reviewed — of those four, I’d give the nod to the McGregor.
IMPAC always seems to feature some odd choices, but this year seems even odder than usual. My impression of the general response to Matterhorn was that it was over-written and far, far too long (and frankly it doesn’t interest me). IMPAC is often a pointer to overlooked translated works, but these two seem quite obscure. And I can’t believe that Bergen’s novel made the list — it was a major disappointment for me.
I’m with you, Kevin. The inclusion of the Bergen and of Matterhorn (which I haven’t read but have heard similar things from trusted sources) have kind of made me uninterested in this list. I can’t see myself going out to get any of the titles I haven’t read.
Could this list be EVEN WORSE than the Booker list?
I won’t repeat the names of the books on there that I didn’t like but a quick word in support of Matterhorn: it’s tremendously well done and a compulsive read. It’s probably a hundred pages too long but it’s worthy of consideration. There are problems but it’s not, I’d argue, over-written.